


The Way to Work

by rorywritesstuff



Category: Marvel 616, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Driving, M/M, One-Sided Relationship, POV First Person, Teddy's Pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 18:29:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8544400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rorywritesstuff/pseuds/rorywritesstuff
Summary: Very short piece; Teddy's unhappy and Kate tells him to buck up.





	

Some days, if I set off for work at just the right time, my boss would see me walking and offer me a lift. I wasn't looking for this, you have to understand, I didn't mind the walk, but I didn't say 'no' when she offered. She had a nice car, and, besides, it's good to at least pretend to like your boss. It didn't happen often, either- only about once a month would I leave at exactly the right time for her to spot me.   
Of course, one of the few times it did happen, it had to be after one of my nights with Billy. He'd slept over at mine, as per usual, and we'd fucked, as per usual and then, as per usual, he was gone before I woke up. But for some reason that time, it hurt more than normal. I just wanted him to stick around for an hour. Surely he couldn't be that busy.   
I knew what it was we had and I knew what he liked about it and I thought I knew what I liked about it, but on this morning I couldn't remember what that was. I skipped breakfast and barely stood under the shower for half a minute, which is one of the reasons I was out in time for my boss (her name is Kate, and I'm going to try and call her that, but it's difficult because I'm pretty happy just thinking of her as 'my boss') to see me and pull over. I got into the backseat- I didn't want to be seen properly- I probably looked haggard as hell.  
Kate regarded me in the rear-view mirror and raised an eyebrow, "Rough night?"  
"Rough morning." My voice sounded harsh. God, I was pathetic.  
She tutted and sighed, "Why do you let him treat you like that?"  
I had never discussed Billy with Kate. Or anyone at the office. Most of them didn't even know I was gay.   
Kate must have guessed my thoughts because she said, "I know that look. Boy, do I know that look." We turned a corner. "I spent most of my twenties wearing that look; I practically had it tattooed on my face."  
I couldn't imagine Kate feeling like this, wearing this expression, slouching in the back seat of a car, letting someone use her like this. It didn't compute. "How'd you stop?"  
"I don't remember."   
My face must have fallen like a lead balloon. Kate laughed, "Just kidding. You just realise you deserve more- I'm gonna say it to you now, just like my mentor told me back then, and you're not gonna believe me or listen and you'll think that's just a thing people say and in about two years time you're gonna bite the bullet, dump this asshole and see I was right all along." We stopped at a light, "That's how it works."   
"Is there anyway to fast track it? That sounds like a lot of work."  
"Well, you could dump him today. Right now, before we even go into the office. That'd be the smart thing." The light changed and we started moving.  
"I don't have his number." I was looking out the window, looking at people walking by and realising how little I actually knew about Billy at all.   
"Wow, he really is an asshole. How do you even get in contact?"  
"He comes around." It sounded so stupid.  
"And you sit and wait? Jesus." Around a roundabout. "And I thought I was pathetic." We parked at the office, and she undid her seatbelt. She was about to get out but then turned to look at me, and I realised how alike we looked in some respects- the lines around the eyes, mostly. "Remember this, Altman; some people drive and some people get driven."   
I got out.


End file.
